Saw this gory ultra violent classic yesterday from director Ralph Nelson (Lilies of the Field, Charly, Father Goose, Requiem for a Heavyweight) and it is right up there with the brutalest SW's. Decidedly not for the squeamish. This is no feel good "Dances with Wolves", I wonder why we don't see re-runs of this .

It portrays the type of frontier warfare that any one who knows the down and dirty history of the conquest of America from the Peaquot War, the French & Indian War, Pontiac's Rebellion, the Cherokee War, the American Revolution, the Black Hawk War, to name a few all the way to the Apache Wars knows was executed on both sides. Scalpings, dismemberment, saber beheadings, rapes, child killing, the only thing missing is the fountains of blood (a la Tarrantino).

It was made during the Vietnam War and at the time reflected the current events here, it is definietly an anti war film.

Candace Bergen plays Cresta a white woman who has been captured by the Cheyenne and was the wife of a chief, who has been liberated and is being escorted back to civilization with a paymasters detachement Peter Strauss is Honus a soldier, who survives the massacre of same.

Bergen's charcter is the strong lead of the film she is originally a streewise orphan from Canal St. NYC, who goes west with her fiance who is in the army, she is captured and learns the ways of the Cheyenne well enough to take Honus (another Easterner well educated enough to quote Tennyson's Charge of the Light Brigade over the bodies of his comrades in arms) under her wing.

So Cresta is as foul mouthed as any Calamity Jane and her adopted Native openess with her body and ways are a marked contrast to the civilized world, and shocking at first to Honus. This also reflects somewhat our 1960's & 70's but you can see it befitting the Wild West also.

Together they make their adventurous way across the prairies. They run into Iverson's company of troops based on (Chivington's 3rd Colorado Volunteers on the way to attack the Cheyenne village on Sand Creek), (they, the Cheyenne's) were in their designated area and they met the approaching soldiers with a white flag upon which Chivington ignored, the resulting massacre resulted in what was depicted in the film.

Title song was by (Native American) Buffy Saint-Marie, score was by Bud Spencer and its more in the "Magnificent Seven Style".

This is no John Ford "Cavalry Trilogy" thats for sure, and this will illustrate why they don't make "Cowboy-Cavalry & Indian Movies" anymore, if you want to read up on Sand Creek Massacre here is a great link:

Saw it at the theater when it came out. Sometimes I see VHS versions in the rental stores, but have not rented it since I saw it in the 70s.Maybe its time I rent it and watch all over again. Boy, does that one bring back memories of times gone by.

Duel at Diablo is available on dvd. I bought it when it first came out, but only watched it once and sold it to a used dvd place. It's a good western, just not one of those you can watch every couple months. Or at least that's my opinion. James Garner is good, Sidney Poitier is good but he seems VERY out of place, and Dennis Weaver is perfectly slimy. Good musical score to boot.

Now, The Wrath of God is one of my favorite movies that no one knows about. Caught it on TCM last fall and have probably watched it 5 or 6 times since. Robert Mitchum is excellent, and the movie has a pretty good supporting cast, although no huge names.

You're right though, Firecracker. Both movies do have a spaghetti-feel to them, Wrath more than Diablo. If you can get your hands on a copy of either, I'd recommend both.

Duel at Diablo is available on dvd. I bought it when it first came out, but only watched it once and sold it to a used dvd place. It's a good western, just not one of those you can watch every couple months. Or at least that's my opinion. James Garner is good, Sidney Poitier is good but he seems VERY out of place, and Dennis Weaver is perfectly slimy. Good musical score to boot.

Now, The Wrath of God is one of my favorite movies that no one knows about. Caught it on TCM last fall and have probably watched it 5 or 6 times since. Robert Mitchum is excellent, and the movie has a pretty good supporting cast, although no huge names.

You're right though, Firecracker. Both movies do have a spaghetti-feel to them, Wrath more than Diablo. If you can get your hands on a copy of either, I'd recommend both.

I can understand that description. I've heard people say its a spoof western because it does have a fair number of cliched things you've probably seen in countless other westerns.

Parts of it really make me laugh, there's plenty of good quotes from Mitchum, Ken Hutchison, and Victor Buono, and it's just a fun movie overall.

There's a book too if you'd want to read it before tracking down a copy. The author is listed as James Graham, but it was actually written by Jack Higgins, of The Eagle has Landed fame. It was just re-released a couple years ago because of Higgins' popularity.

Re-watched today. Re-enjoyed it: apart from some naive passages the film has stood well the passage of time. Is the kind of movie you ain't gonna see come from Hollywood today (meaning from the '80's on). Still the plot isn't oiled well. Because at the start the Cheyennes are seen as the evil ones who massacre the blue soldiers (though for solid reasons: get money to buy guns) and at last as peaceful folks. Miss Bergen is not as angelical as I remembered her (at 13 any young woman with long blonde hair is an angel): her buttocks are too flat and the profile too tight. Still when in indian atttire she's highly desirable. I wonder though if she was the right choice for the part (but I saw the movie dubbed in italian, so I can't be more resolute on the point).Strauss is perfect. Wonder why after the movie on Foreign Legion he practically vanished from view.The score is a nightmare of TV dimitritiomkishness rehashed for tv shows. Really, these people knew nothing about Morricone and SW? P.S. I haven't seen Dance with Wolves and don't intend to.